Adjustable shoe heel



NV. l, H, CAMERON 2,486,704

ADJUSTABLE SHOE HEEL Filed Nov.` 28, 1945 Fig-5- Y40 34 26 Harry Cameron INVENTOR.

Patented Nov. 1, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE SHOE HEEL Harry Cameron, Jersey City, N. J.

Application November 28, 1945, Serial No. .631,305

3 Claims.

My invention relates to footwear and more particularly to a heel construction including a rotatably mounted disk comprising a lower rear portion of the heel.

A primary object of this invention is to provide means whereby a heel can be reconditioned to ovencome unequal wear frequently occurring at the rear portion of a heel.

Another object of this invention is to provide a heel construction in which a rotatable disk in the lower rear portion of the heel can be easily replaced, after the same has been rotatably adjusted one or more times. In other words, the disk is bodily removable so as to facilitate reconditioning of the heel by replacement of the disk, as well as by rotation of the disk.

Other features and advantages will become more readily apparent from a 4consideration of the following description and the accompanying illustrative drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevational view of a shoe embracing my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1, with the rotatable disk removed;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the structure shown in Figure 1, the parts hereinafter referred to as the thimbles being shown in elevation;

Figures 4 and 5 are lower plan views of the heel; yFigure 4 being designed to indicate the position of a worn portion of the rotatable disk before adjustment, and Figure 5 indicating a possible location of the worn portion after adjustment;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the above mentioned thimble, attaching screw used therein, a portion of a part hereinafter referred to as the ring, and contiguous portions of the heel;

Figures 7 and 8 represent the abovementioned thimble, in perspective and in verti-cal section, respectively, the thimble being shown in a form assumed before the split heads thereof are expanded into the positions indicated in Figure 6; and

Figure 9 is a three dimensional view of the above mentioned ring and a small center disk, both of which members are embedded in the rotatable disk.

In the above drawings, as well as in the specication to follow, the same characters of reference indicate the same parts throughout.

Heels become worn unequally at the rear edges, depending upon the particular wearer and his manner of walking. Such wear, especially if pronounced, has a tendency to throw the wearer off balance and in an effort, usually unconscious, to overcome this condition the wearer may be subject to fatigue, resulting in nervous strain, depleting the natural energy and often-times resulting also in irritability, the cause of which is usually unrecognized. With a view to overcoming these difliculties, I have designed the shoe heel illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the heel being embodied in a shoe generally indicated at I0, and the insole I2 and outsole I4- need not be materially altered by this invention. However, the heel generally indicated by the numeral I6 is of novel construction and will be described in detail.

The heel I6 is comprised of three main portions, the heel lift I8, the fixed top lift portion 20 and the remaining portion of the top lift which will be referred to hereinafter as the rotatable disk 22. It is proposed that this disk 22 will ordinarily be constructed of resilient material such as compound rubber, although this invention may =be implemented by the use of rotatable disks of other materials, including leather, and the same consideration with regard to the composition of the elements I8 and 20 will apply. The xed top lift portion 20 is recessed at the rear side thereof as indicated at 2A, the shape of this recess being preferably substantially semicircular so that the forward one-half portion of the rotatable disk 22 will fit into this recess, it being understood that the fixed heel portion 26 and the rotatable disk 22 will have the same thickness and that the width of the fixed top lift portion will be substantially equal to the diameter of the rotatable disk.

The heel lift I8 has a plurality of thimbles 26 xed therein, and arranged in regularly spaced relation near the circumference of the disk 22, the drawings representing four such thimbles although the number thereof is a matter of individual preferment and mechanical expediency. Each of these thimbles 25 is generally cylindrical with a threaded bore 28 and the ends are split as indicated at 3U in Figure 2 to provide riveting flange portions 32 on the lower ends of the thimbles and substantially similar riveting flange portions 34 on the upper ends of the thimbles, these portions 32 and 34 being expanded by a suitable tool, during the construction of the heel, to x the thimbles rigidly in the heel lift I8. At 3B, in Figures 7 and 8, there is depicted a thimble in the form thereof assumed before the said expansion of the rivet is completed.

bores 44 and 46, near the periphery and at the center of the disk, respectively, and a ring 48 and disk 5D, ordinarily constructed of metal and of plate characten. are, embedded` in` the disk 22 adjacent't'o the` upper surface of the disk 22Landr arranged coaxially thereon, the ring 48 and disk 50 serving as reinforcement members and abut.- ments against which the heads of the screws 4l!I and 42 may be engaged. It should bearefullyf noted that the screws 42 are insertedthrough the apertures 52 in the ring 48, while thescrew42" is inserted through the aperture5z4 atthe` center of the disk 50, the other apertures 56 in the ring and 58 in the disk 50 being provided merely to allow the material of tlie disk 22 to i-low thereintothusvv anchoring the= ring.: and disk Sulrmlyv WithinztlfiediskZZ Ill-...willibefunderstood'. that the: necessary nails` n 68;; Willi be'used to1secure-ftheaheel lift |18 and the Itk iixedf top1lift'portion- 2'01'onthe outsole I4; willfbe olearhowla worn .portion indicated att-2 in Figure Lloriginally positicnedtat one side and at the rear: of"tl1e'-` disk122 may be moved into the position'.v indicated at 64; by the expedient of looseningztheescrewAt and removing the screws.` 40;v rctatingrthe diskf22`; as fork example throughv 1810 deg-reest into,i the`- second` position indicated,

replacing' thek screws 48:1 and. retightening the'- Itwill alsobe clear,l that they disk 22,1

screwf42., is easily` removable; by' merely removing: all the screws 4D and the screw 42, all'owir'ig:A a replacement disk-.'22- to be inserted; It will4 therefore be-clear that:l the objects.: recited-jin: the preamble:

tofthiszspecication can be: amply. achieved by. thisinvention. Y

IIavingfl describedz the: invention', Aclaimed'asrfnew is:`

what

11A,heel?havingrazheelllift, atop lift portieri'Y lxed thereto: andhavinga semi-circular recess;

at the rear of the top lift portion, a circular disk disposed coaxially of and partially within said recess and having a thickness equal to said top lift portion and a diameter equal to the width of said top lift portion, a plurality of internally threaded thimbles xed transversely on said heel left in regular spaced relation near the circumference of the disk, a similar thimble secured transversely ofthe heel 1ft coaxially of. the disk, andlheaded:v screws inserted? through said disk into each of said thimbles.

2. A heel having a heel lift, a top lift portion 'xed thereto and having a semi-circular recess atthegrearof the top lift portion, a circular disk disposed coaxially of and partially within said recess and having a thickness equal to said top lift:portioni and-,aldiameter equal to the width of saidtop lift portion, a plurality of internally threa'dedthimbles xed transversely on said heel lift in regular spaced relation near the circumference ofthe disk, a similar thimblev secured transverselyv ofY the heel lift coaxiallyV of 1 thedis'k, and'leadedscrews inserted through saidv said reinforcing members: are plates comprising abutment. memberslfor the-headsof said screws.

HARRY CAMERON.

REFERENCES: CITED The" followingi references are of4 record in the t leaof this patenti STATES `PiYIENlS Number Name Date 114,145 I-lunterv Apr. 25, 1871 130,805 Hunter Aug. 27, 1872 613,360 Cross Nov l, 1898 627,984 Crossv July 4, 1899 1,566,350 Smith- Dec. 22, 1925v 1,790,886 Tyner etal. Feb. 3, 1931 

